Kelowna RCMP Const. Lacy Browning is being sued by UBCO student Mona Wang. A second woman has filed a lawsuit against constable.
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November 07, 2022 - 3:47 PM
Years after a video surfaced showing a Kelowna cop dragging a UBCO student down a hallway in a violent wellness check, the officer involved has pleaded guilty.
Const. Lacy Browning was charged with one count of assault after a video was released showing footage of the RCMP officer, later identified as Browning, dragging then UBC Okanagan student Mona Wang down a hallway and treating her roughly during a wellness check.
Browning was charged with assault following an internal Kelowna RCMP investigation, a year after the incident took place. The incident gained national attention in 2020 when the video surfaced.
Browning pleaded guilty today on what was intended to be the first day of her trial, Dan McLaughlin, communications counsel with the B.C. Prosecution Service confirmed.
“The matter has been adjourned to tomorrow to fix a date for the sentencing hearing,” he said via email.
Wang also sued Browning and the RCMP. The matter was settled outside of court.
In a statement, Wang said she was glad to see Browning take accountability.
"But unfortunately abuse of power like this happens all the time. I was lucky enough to have the privilege of seeking out justice and having my voice heard. However, many survivors do not have the resources to, especially those who are unhoused. I continue to implore everyone to reach out to local representatives to advocate for change and support initiatives that aim to help the most marginalized members of our community," she said.
"If it weren’t for the surveillance camera that captured what had happened, it would have resulted in another assault swept under the rug. I’d like to thank everyone again for supporting me through this journey and we are one step closer to justice and closure."
- This story was updated at 4:41 p.m. with a comment from Wang.
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